Method and apparatus for producing wire strand or rope



Oct. 17, 1950 D, AI Ewls 2,526,247

' METHD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING WIRE STRAND 0R ROPE 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

Filed Aug. 28, 1948 Oct. 17, 1950 D. I Ewls 2,526,247

METHOD AND APPARATUS Fon PRoDUcING WIRE STRAND 0R ROPE Filed Aug. 28, 1948 BNVENTOR DA/THEY fw/s Patented Oct. 17, 1950 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING WIRE STRAND OR ROPE Dartrey Lewis, Trenton, N. J., assigner to John A. Roeblings Sons Company, Trenton, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 2s, 194s, serial No. 46,626

14 claims.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing wire strand or rope, and more particularly a wire strand or rope that has any desired amount of residual twist which may be clockwise, counter-clockwise or neutral.

It is frequently desirable to manufacture wire strand for use as such, or in the making of wire rope, which is not wild but has most lor all of the spring back taken out of it. Sometimes a completely dead or inert strand is needed, and other times it is desirable to make a strand that has some residual twist in one direction or the other. Likewise, it is often desirable to manufacture wire rope that is dead or inert, or that has a calculated small residual twist in one direction or the other. Stranding and rope making machines heretofore used have not, to the best of my knowledge, been capable of producing satisfactorily strand or rope of such varying chary acteristics.

It is an object of my invention to provide apparatus and a method for producing wire strand or rope by forming the strand or rope with an overtwist and then untwisting' the overtwisted product to any desired extent to obtain a product that is dead or has a residual twist in one direction or the other.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a method and apparatus in which not only the residual twist in they completed strand or rope can be controlled, but also the number of twists per inch of strand or rope can be controlled at will.

Other objects and advantages will be explained or will be apparent from the following description of the embodiments of my apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an end elevation view, partly in section, of a stranding machine constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of a portion of the machine taken approximately on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation view of a portion of the machine, partly in section, and taken approximately on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an end' elevation view, partly in section, showing a modified form of untwisting head for use in a machine constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation view, partly in section, showing a modification of one part of the device of Fig. 1 to render it suitable for making a moreV complicated strand such as a seven wire strand, or a wire rope.

I have found that accurate control of the number of twists per inch, or the length of lay, as well as the final condition' of the strand or rope as to residual twist can be readily accomplished by forming the wire strand or rope with a twisting head that produces a marked overtwisting of the wires or strands, and then subjecting the overtwisted strand orrope thus formed to a controlled amount of untwisting performed by a separate mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates one form of my machine which may have one-or more heads for making strand or rope supported by a suitable frame I0. Only -one such stranding head is illustrated in Fig. l.

Mounted in the left portion of the frame as viewed in Fig. 1 are a number of reels or spools II, three such reels being shown, each supplying an individual wire for the formation of a strand. 'Ihe three wires from these reels are passed together over a freely rotating sheave or pulley I2, and thence to a pair of capstans I3, I3 mounted on parallel shafts I4, I4. AThe capstans I3, I3 preferably have several grooves so that the wires can be wrapped around them a number of turns to reduce slippage. Shafts I6, I4 may be positively driven by theA gear I5 on.A the shaft I6 which in turn is driven as described below.

After passing around the last wrap on the outer capstan I3, the wires are guided through a hollow rotatable shaft I9, to a twisting head 26 formed integral with or otherwise xed to the shaft I9.

The twisting head 20 preferably carries a pair of freely rotatable grooved rollers 2|, 2| mounted on shafts 22, 22 which may or may not be inclined as shown in Fig. 3. 'I'he wires, which at this stage are twisted together into the strand, are passed a number of wraps around the grooved rollers 2I, 2l. 'I'he shaft I9 and twisting head 20 carrying these rollers are positively rotated about the axis of the wires or strand by a screw gear 23 driven by the screw gear 24 on shaft 24a .which in turn is driven as described below. Twisting head 20 is driven at such a speed, as to form a strand with an overtwist or, in other words, an amount of twist substantially exceeding that desired in the nal product.

'I'he overtwisted strand passes from the rollers 2l through a second hollow shaft 25, also mounted for rotation in suitable bearings and carrying as an integral or fixed part a flyer 26. Suitable guide pulleys 21 are mounted on the flyer 26 to guide the strand through the hollow shaft 25 and over one arm of the flyer by which the strand lis .wound up on the spoo'i *Hollow shaft 25 asesinar and vthe :yer 26 may aiso he rotated by a 'scistv gee-,r .2d driven .another screw mounted on shaft 39a which in turn is driven in a manner described below. Flyer is rotated in the same direction vas thetwisting head but at a sub stantialiy .lower rate of speed.

The take-up spool is momited on a shaft 53 andsupported for rotation by a fleeting oar 32 of any suitable construction, as will be under vstood by those skilled in the art, so. as to provide a reciprocating or fleeting motion to the spool 228 as the strand is wound up on it. The other end oi shaft iii preferably carries a suitable form of brake, such as the hydraulic brake 33, which suitable gauge 38 to control the amount of braking applied to the spool 28.

The various parts of the machine may all be driven from a single source of power such as the motor I8. For example, shaft 30a which is used to drive the hollow shaft may be driven directly from motor I8 at a fixed speed by a chain and sprocket drive. Shaft I6, from which the capstans I3, I3 are driven, may in turn be driven from shaft a by a suitable variable speed drive such as sprockets of different diameters on the two shafts with a chain I1 that can be shifted from one pair to another. In this manner shaft Shaft 24a, which is used to drive the hollow shaft I3, may be driven directly from motor I8 by a suitable variable speed drive, preferably one which utilizes a belt and cone or some other means to provide finely graduated variations in speed. It will be apparent that the three intermediate or drive shafts I6, 24a and 30a may be used to drive similar parts on any desired number of heads mounted side by side on the frame I0.

In the operation of this device, the wires to be formed into the strand are pulled from the reels II by the capstans I3, I3. Suitable brakes may be provided on the reels I I to maintain adequate tension on the wires fed to the capstans I3 to prevent slippage on the capstans. Between the point where the wires leave the outer capstan I3 and are picked up by the rollers 2|, 2I on the twisting head 20, the wires are twisted into the form of a strand, the number of twists per inch depending upon the rates of rotation at which the capstans I3, I3 and the hollow shaft I9 are driven. The hollow shaft IB is preferably driven at a sulciently high rate of speed to overtwist the strand in forming it.

The hollow shaft 25 carrying flyer 26 is rotated in the same direction as the twisting head 20 but at a substantially lower speed. The strand leaving the twisting head 28 is rotating on its own axis at the same speed as the speed of rotation of head 20. Thus, the strand between the rapidly rotating twisting head 28 and the first pulley 21 on the iiyer 26, which is rotating at a slower speed, is untwisted by an amount proportional to the difference in speeds of rotation of these two members and to the lineal speed of the strand. The hollow shaft 25 may be driven at a fixed speed andthe speeds of the capstans I3, I3 and of the hollow shaft I9 adjusted relative to it as described above, or any other suitable variable speed drives may be used to provide a similar vesiloiiity: oradlmtmentlof Viii-ieee .speeds The strand passing over the pulleys t? has thus beeni'lrst overtwisted in its formation'and then untwisted by a controlled amount, leaving it with the desired residual tendency to twist or rotate in either direction, or completely neutral or inert, as may be wished.

The rotation of the ilyer arm about the taire-up spool winds up the strand on the spooi 2t and the hydraulic brake 33 permits some rotation of the spool 2&3 and maintains the desired amount of tension on the strand between the spool 23 and the capstans it?, it. While a hydraulic brake has been illustrated for thisv purpose, it will be.

apparent that magnetic or other suitable con trollable brakes may be substituted therefor. As the strand passes around the rst pulley 2l on the yer 28, the strand is still rotating on its own axis but this remaining rotation is disposed of as the strand passes over the remaining two pulleys 21 on the rotating flyer arm and is wound up bylt on the revolving spool 28.

Referring now to the modified form of apparatus illustrated in part in Fig. 4, this modification consists essentially of incorporating the pulling capstan in the flyer or untwisting head of the device instead of at the point shown in Fig. l. In this modif-led form, the wires from the reels II pass over a simple sheave or through a die in place of the capstans I3, I3, thence through hollow shaft I9 and twisting head 20, as shown in Fig. l, and from there to the untwisting head illustrated in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 4, the capstan arrangement is mounted in a suitable frame 40, which is supported for rotation on the hollow shafts 4I and 42 mounted in bearings 43 and 44. Capstans 45, 45 carried by shafts 46, 46 mounted in the frame`40 are geared together and driven by a worm and worm gear indicated generally at 4l, the worm being mounted on shaft 48. One end of shaft 48 carries a gear 48 meshing with the teeth of a fixed ring gear 50 which causes the worm shaft 48 to rotate as the frame 48 is rotated about the axis of the traveling strand. Frame 40 may be rotated by suitable screw gears 5I and 52 driven from any suitable source of power (not shown). For example, gear 52 may be mounted on shaft 30a driven as described above. 'I'he journal 42 is preferably integral with or has xed thereto a flyer 53 provided with guide pulleys 54 for delivering the finished strand to the take-up spool 55. The yer 53 and take-up spool 55 may be mounted and operated in the same manner as the yer 26 and take-up spool 28 shown in Fig. 1.

This modified arrangement operates essentially in the same manner as described in connection with the device shown in Fig. 1. The wires are first formed into an overtwisted strand by a twisting head such as shown at 20 in Fig. 1 and are then delivered to the capstans 45, 45 and yer 53 which act as an untwisting head being independently rotated in the same direction but at a slower speed than the first twisting head. In this case the lineal speed of the strand through the whple device is determined by the rate at whichvthe capstans 45, 45 are driven. These capstans in turn may be made to rotate at a speed having any given proportion to the speed of rotation of the frame 40 by appropriate changes in the gear ratios of the gears 49 and 50 or of the worm and worm gear 41, so that the number of twists per length of strand can thus be controlled.

Referring now to Fig. 5, a modified arrangement is shown which may be used to adapt the apparatus to the production of a wire rope or a more complicated strand. In this modincation, a lay plate 60 supported by a suitable bracket 6I fixed to the frame I0 may be interposed between the capstans I3, I3 and the rotatable shaft I9 shown in Fig. l. To assist in the proper formation of the strand or rope. a closing die 62 may be mounted in the entrance end of hollow shaft I9 to rotate therewith.

When the capstans are incorporated in the untwisting head as described above in connection with Fig. 4, a lay plate and closing die may also be interposed, if desired, between the hollow shaft I9 of the main twisting head and the sheave or die leading the wires or strands to this twisting head.

In the operation of this modification, a single wire, strand or fiber element 63 may be threaded through the central hole in the lay plate 60, and

4. Apparatus for producing wire strand or rope which comprises a pair of separate twisting memthe desired number of wires or strands 64 may be threaded through the remaining holes inthis plate. 'I'he elements, either wires or strands, may thus be held in the correct positions relative to each other as they are led to the die 62 to be closed into a strand or rope as .the case may be. In this arrangement, the twisting of the wires or strands together takes place between the stationary lay plate 60 and the twisting head 20. Thereafter, however. the .strand or rope is handled as described above, being overtwisted as it is formed and then untwisted the desired amount by the untwisting head that includes the flyer.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used in a descriptive and lnot a limiting sense, and I have no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention described, or of portions thereof, as fall within the purview of the claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for forming wire strand or rope which comprises means for supplying a plurality of wires or strands, a rotary twisting head for twisting said wires or strands together with an overtwist as they are formed into a strand or rope, and separate twisting means separately driven to rotate in the same direction as said head but at a slower rate of speed, said twisting means being arranged to receive the rotating strand or rope directly from said head and thereby remove a controlled amount of twist from the overtwisted strand or rope.

2. Apparatus for forming wire strand or rope which comprises separate rotary twisting heads arranged in tandem, means for supplying to the first of said heads a plurality of wire elements to be twisted together, means for rotating said first head at a rate suflicient to overtwist said elements,` and separate means for rotating the second head in the same direction but at a slower rate of speed than said first head.

3. Apparatus for making wire strand or rope with a desired amount of rotational tendency which comprises a twisting means and a separate .rotary device arranged in tandem to rotate ab'ut a. common axis, means for rotating said twisting means and said device with the twisting means rotating faster than said device, means for supplying a plurality of separate elements to said twisting means to be twisted thereby into a rotating product, and spooling means cooperating with said device for collecting the product and simultaneously arresting its rotation.

bers arranged in tandem for rotation about a common axis, means for supplying a plurality of wire elements to the first of said members without rotating said elements on their own axes, means for pulling said elements through said members as the wires are formed into a twisted product, and separate means for rotating said members at different speeds but in the same direction with the first of said members rotating at the higher speed.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which the pulling means is driven at a speed proportional to the speed of one of the twisting members.

6. Apparatus for producing wire strand or rope which comprises a twisting head, means for rotating said head, means for feeding a plurality of wire elements to said head to be formed thereby into a rotating strand or rope, a separate flyer rotating at a slower speed to receive said strand or rope from the twisting head, a rotatably supported take-up spool to receive the strand or rope from the flyer, and a controllable brake on said spool to hold said strand or rope under tension from the time it is formed until it is collected on the spool, said ilyer and spool being arranged todeliver the strand or rope onto the spool and simultaneously arrest its rotation.

7. Apparatus for producing wire strand or rope which comprises a pair of twistingheads arlranged in tandem and rotated independently of each other about the same axis and in the same direction, means for rotating the first of said heads at a higher speed than the second of said heads, means for feeding to said heads a plurality of wire elements to be twisted together, a rotatably supported take-wp spool, a flyer having an arm rotating about the spool to wrap the twisted product thereon, and a brake on said spool to maintain tension on the product as it is formed. .f

8. A method of producing wire strand whichcomprises twisting together a plurality of wires to form a strand that is overtwisted, and untwisting said overtwisted strand a predetermined amount to leave the strand with the desired amount of residual twist.

9. A method of producing wire strand or rope having a predetermined residual tendency to rotate which comprises feeding a plurality of separate wire elements in the direction of their length, twisting said elements together to produce a tproduct that rotates on its axis and is overtwisted a predetermined amount as it is formed, and partially untwisting the rotating productv to leave it with the amount of twist desired in the final product.

l0. A method of producing wire strand or rope having a predetermined residual tendency to rotate which comprises feeding a plurality of separate wire elements in the direction of their length, twisting said elements together to produce a product that rotates on its axis and is overtwisted a predetermined amount as it is formed, reducing the speed of rotation of said product to remove the excess twist, and delivering the product onto a spool and simultaneously arresting its rotation without further changing its twist or length of lay.

ll. A method as defined in claim 9 in -which the speed of feeding the elements in the direction of their length is proportional to the speed of rotation of the product after being partially untwisted.

12. A method of producing wire strand or rope having a predetermined amount of residual tendency to rotate which comprises twisting together -a plurality of wire elements while said elements are advanced lengthwise at a' given lineal speed to form an overtwisted product rotating on its own axis, reducing the speed of rotation of said product on its axis and thereby removing some of its twist while the advance oi the product continues at the same speed, the speed of rotation of said overtwisted product bearing a predetermined ratio to said reduced speed of rotation of the product, collecting the strand or rope thus formed, and maintaining a controlled tension on said elements during both said twisting and partial untwisting.

13. Apparatus for producing wire strand or rope having a predetermined amount of residual twist which comprises a device for feeding a plurality of wire elements lengthwise at a given speed, a twisting head rotatable on the axis of the product for forming said elements into a strand or rope, a spool to receive the product, a iiyer rotatable on said axis independently of said head and spool but arranged to receive the rotating strand or rope from said head and deliver it to said spool, driving means for rotating said yer, means for driving said twisting head at a i'aster speed than said ilyer, and a constant tension brake on said spool to maintain the strand or rope between the spool and said feeding device under a substantial tension.

14. Apparatus for producing wire strand or rope which comprises a pair of twisting heads arranged in tandem and rotated independently of each other about the same axis and in the same direction, means for rotating the rst of said heads at a higher speed than the second of said heads, means for feeding to the rst of said heads a plurality of wire elements that do not rotate on their own axes, a rotatably supported spool, a brake for retarding rotation of the spool, and a flyer for receiving the rotating product, arresting its rotation and wrapping it on the spool.

DARTREY LEWIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inI the file of this patent:

UNITED STA''ES PATENTS 5 Number Name Date 1,825,061 Hargrove Sept. 29, 1931 1,925,172 Brownell Sept. 5, 1933 2,000,104 Somerville May 7, 1935 2,342,343 Hotchkiss, Jr. Feb. 22, 1944 2,484,178 MacCreadie Oct. 11, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 616,790 Germany Aug. 5, 1935 

